Shut Up, and Sell!

In all my years of directing salespeople I've never seen anything kill a deal faster than a salesperson who doesn't know when to stop talking. It's amazing that once a person considers themselves an "expert" on a subject, they feel the need to regurgitate all that knowledge into the lap of the unsuspecting prospect.

I recall listening in on a sales call of a newer employee. The prospect had already agreed to buy and move forward with the purchase. The only thing left was for the salesperson to walk him through the docs and collect a check. In his excitement the salesperson continued talking about the project and adding new, unsolicited information, apparently believing that he was strengthening his case. A few minutes later the prospect changed his mind and decided he didn't "know enough" about the project to move forward and backed out of the deal. He even asked the salesperson to not contact him again and abruptly hung up! Not only did the salesperson lose out on his commission, but the project was hugely successful and the prospect would've tripled his money.

Over talking is not just an issue with newer salespeople either. In fact, I've found that even the most seasoned professionals find themselves in situations that they wouldn't be in if they had only known when to stop talking.

What many people fail to realize is that silence is one of the most effective tools the salesperson has at their disposal. It can be used to elicit responses, gather information and create movement in the sales process. It's also a fantastic way to build rapport, show respect, and demonstrate proper etiquette (interrupting people is rude and obnoxious).

When used properly, silence is amazing. We've all heard the expression "The silence was deafening" or Abe Lincoln's "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt". It's true, and it can also be used as a means of closing deals. A few tips:

1.  When a person is finished speaking, count to five (in your head) before you begin to talk. Often times you will find that the prospect will resume speaking and open up even further. Do this as many times as it takes until you can count to five, then it's your turn. I've seen people count as high as 30 in their heads before they speak. If the prospect asks "Are you still there?" or “Are you listening?” simply assure them that what they said was important and that you wanted to fully understand what they were sharing. They will love it.
2. After you've made a closing statement such as, "Buy the stock Sally, you will not be displeased". Be quiet no matter how long it takes! Do NOT be the first one to speak under any circumstance. I have personally seen a prospect take almost a full ten minutes before they spoke, and it was to say, "OK, I'll take it".
3. When asking qualifying questions or when more information is needed use longer pauses after the person responds. This will generally make them give more complete answers.

There are many more ways of using silence to your advantage. However a good rule of thumb is that if you are not sure what to say, be quiet. You do not have to fill in the silence, they will do it for you. There is nothing to be gained from running your mouth. There are many psychological reasons for silence being so effective, but hey, I am not writing a book just giving some feedback. Until next time,

 Expect Success